No place like home

ROBINS skipper Hans Andersen is hoping to keep up his impressive record at the Scandinavian Grand Prix this evening at he track he knows inside out.

The Dane spent 13 seasons riding for Malillia based Swedish Elitserien club Dackarna before switching to Indianerna, but returns to the G&B Arena tonight for round 10 of the series.

Andersen has impressed at one of his favoured tracks throughout his time in the Grand Prix, reaching the final four times, and has also won the Scandinavian GP when it was held in Göteborg in 2004.

The Odense-born racer is desperate to taste success at his former home on what could be his final opportunity, with the track not featuring on the 2013 calendar and Andersen still searching for a
place in the series next season.

“Make no mistake, Malilla is a place where I’m looking to win. Winning in Malilla for me would rate as highly as winning in Copenhagen,” he said.

“The place is a home from home because I was there for 13 years. I know all the people and I have such great support from the fans there.

“I’ve come second there twice in the Grand Prix in 2006 and 2008. I was third in 2009 and I also came fourth in 2007. “So I’ve been in finals there before, but unfortunately I haven’t had that
extra bit of luck needed to climb on top of the rostrum.”

Andersen reached the semi-finals for the first time this season at the British GP two weeks ago, and the 31-year-old is still confident of being involved next year, either through a top eight
place, a wild card, or by qualifying from the GP Challenge at Gorican on September 29.

“I definitely think I’ve got a lot more to show than I’ve shown this year in the Grand Prix,” he said. “Apart from Terenzano, where I scored four points, my performance has been on the up lately
and I’ve been winning races in nearly every round.

“I’ve got two GPs before the Challenge to shoot me closer to that top eight spot, and it’s important for me to get as far up the standings as possible.

“If I don’t finish eighth, I could finish ninth, and I’d say it would be more difficult to overlook the rider in ninth for a wild card.

“I still think it’s possible to get into the top eight, but if not I will have to go into that GP Challenge and get in that way.”